Level Eater

It was the moment when Tatsuro tried to use magic to defeat the one person who remained. Thanks to multiple uses of "Crisis Detection" and the heightened skill level just before that due to an extreme state of focus, he could intuitively understand the direction of the person triggering a crisis for him.

"Are you going to let me do that?" (Tatsuro)

"Let's go, Tatsuro!" (Ai)

The man in full-body armour picked up the staff he was carrying, thrust it into the ground, breaking the cobblestones, and then swung it upwards, showering Tatsuro with stone fragments.

Tatsuro knew that someone was coming through his detection magic, but he did not know what the man would do when he thrust the staff into the ground, so his reaction momentarily delayed. Ai stood in between and intercepted with a shield she took from her [Item Box]

"I'm glad you're okay." (Ai)

"It's fine!" (Tatsuro)

However, the man in full-body armour took advantage of that momentary opening and escaped out of the range of dark magic. Even though it was still a moonless late night, he realized that it was a disadvantage for him without any light. So he quickly moved from his previous location to avoid being located.

However, the man in full-body armour was aware of that as well, so he reached into a bag hanging from his waist before he vanished into the darkness again. He took out the intended item and let a small amount of his own mana flow, then slammed it into the ground.

"The ground is on fire!" (Ai)

"Right there!"

The man dropped something on the ground and shattered it. Enormous flames lit up the area like a campfire, revealing the unnaturally dark spot. Of course, that was where Tatsuro and the others were. The man approached, swinging a spiked staff.

With a level exceeding thirty, the man was quite fast, but he could not match Ai's speed. Before the man could reach them, Ai manipulated her whip and sent its tip towards his face.

"Ahhhh!" he cried in pain

"It bounced off!" (Ai)

"Yeah, but it's already over." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro controlled the fire created by his fire magic, heating the man's high thermal conductivity iron armour. Although it made him pause for a moment, the man charged forward with the flaming armour still on.

"Uoooooh! …Both of you!"

"If you have that much determination, lead an honest life!" (Tatsuro)

"This is not the time to say things like that!" (Ai)

Because he had become a light source, the man could now quickly locate Tatsuro and the others as long as he endured the pain of the burns. However, the man realized that continuing this for an extended period was impossible, so he decided to bet on a single strike.

He gathered his energy into the staff and swung it in their direction. The concentrated energy from the staff miraculously hit the area covered in darkness.

"Alright!" he said

"Missed!" (Ai)

"Gah!" he cried in pain

In the moment of joy, Ai, who had somehow moved behind the man, struck him on the back of the head with the whip handle, with enough force to dent the armour.

Finally, the man completely collapsed on the ground.

"Why…?" he asked

"Is it clearer this way?" (Tatsuro)

"Ah…"

As if providing an answer, Tatsuro scattered fireballs around, illuminating the ground. He explained why Ai had been behind the man.

The darkness in front of the man extended straight behind, out of the range illuminated by the flaming armour. The helmet limited his vision, and his excessive focus kept him looking forward. He didn't realize that someone had slipped out of the darkness before him.

"Now it's all clear, right? Sleep well." (Tatsuro)

"But…"

"Ouch, that looks painful…" (Ai)

Tatsuro had simply dropped a clod of dirt on the man's head, causing him to pass out. However, considering the man's persistence, he had dropped a fairly large object, causing the helmet to deform.

"He's not dead, is he?" (Ai)

"No, I checked with Dispel Magic, and there don't seem to be any life-threatening injuries. It's probably thanks to stat bonuses." (Tatsuro)

"I see. So, are we taking these guys to the town?" (Ai)

"Yeah, it's probably more convincing if we show them the real thing." (Tatsuro)

Saying this, Tatsuro used magic to toss the unconscious armoured man into a hole where the thieves were gathered, leaving only an air hole for safety. He then sealed the hole and retrieved a dwindling supply of iron ingots.

This time, he created one large cylindrical iron box that could barely fit around thirty adults. Then, he constructed another box of the same shape but large enough to cover the first one entirely.

"Why make two of them?" (Ai)

"Well, it's for dealing with mages." (Tatsuro)

"Huh?" (Ai)

Not entirely understanding, Tatsuro petted the head of her head while working on the two boxes. He asked Ai to place the smaller one inside, the larger one like a Matryoshka doll, and then she reinforced it carefully with magic so that it would not come loose when inserted into the central pillar. Once this was done, all that was left was to attach the fittings to connect it to a cart and add wheels for mobility.

"It's done!" (Tatsuro)

"Is this…? I definitely don't want to ride on this…" (Ai)

Watching Tatsuro experiment with his wind magic to see if it worked as he intended, Ai could not help but express her concern. As soon as the wind magic set in, the inner box began to rotate within the larger one. A windmill mechanism had been placed between the large and small boxes to catch the wind, and both boxes were connected to the central pillar, making them spin together. The whole contraption resembled a giant coffee cup, and unless one had an incredibly strong sense of balance, it was bound to induce motion sickness.

"At least mages won't be able to concentrate on this." (Tatsuro)

"That's true, but… it seems like the inside will be in a terrible state when we arrive in town." (Ai)

"Well, that's their problem for holding a grudge against us." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro did not intend to kill them, but he did not intend to be lenient either. So they extracted each of the thieves from the hole one by one, confiscated their equipment, immobilized them with wires made from the remaining iron, and then placed them inside the box. The sight of the densely packed thieves was even more off-putting than they had anticipated. Together with Ai, they pushed the box towards the location where Salva, their escort, and Cardina and Jeanne were waiting.

By then, the faint light of the sun had begun to shine.

"Morning already… We spent more time on the construction and containment than I thought." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, it ended up being an all-nighter." (Ai)

Complaining, the two finally reached their destination. Immediately, Cardina and Jeanne arrived to celebrate their safety.

Following them, three people with sombre expressions arrived, their eyes turning to the mysterious cylindrical box that Tatsuro and his companions had brought with them.

"So, inside there…?" (Catherine)

"Yeah, we caught everyone who came this time. We're planning to hand them over to the guards of Lyadas to serve as evidence of the presence of these thieves." (Tatsuro)

"Are the people inside, the ones who set up that… that trap?" (Jema)

"Some of them had maps with the trap's location marked, so there's little doubt." (Tatsuro)

""…""

Catherine and Jema, as if swallowing the answers they received to their questions, closed their eyes and looked down in silence.

Seeing this, Tatsuro realized that there were no particularly positive emotions for these three, so he quickly tied the cart to the back to divert their attention.

During the process, Salva, who had been standing still with a blank expression, suddenly approached and stood in front of the entrance of the box containing the thieves, with grappling hooks attached to both hands.

"What are you planning?" (Tatsuro)

"I'm going to kill these guys." (Salva)

"Didn't you hear? We are handing them over to the guards. Killing them might not prove they were real thieves." (Tatsuro)

"But, it doesn't have to be all of them! I can't stand it unless at least the one who led them is killed!" (Salva)

"Big brother…" (Jema)

"Salva…" (Catherine)

Tears streaming down his face, Salva shouted at Tatsuro, expressing his frustration with the ones who had killed his comrades. The girls understood the anguish of their fallen friends and Salva's feelings but could not move despite knowing they should have stopped him.

"The one who was leading them is the most important. That is why we captured them alive. I don't plan to kill the others either, as we don't know what kind of information they might have." (Tatsuro)

"You haven't had your comrades killed, so you can't understand. Imagine having your friends killed; you wouldn't forgive, right?" (Salva)

"That's right. I don't plan to forgive, and I'll hunt them down and kill them no matter where they hide." (Tatsuro)

"In that case—" (Salva)

"But we're the ones who captured all of them. We will decide what to do with them now. We will not stop you once our mission is done. However, handle it with your own power. We have tried our best to help you. Isn't it too much to take just the cream of the crop and leave us behind? Please don't involve us in your vendetta." (Tatsuro)

"Ugh…" (Salva)

Certainly, Tatsuro was prepared to protect Ai from individuals who would harm her. However, aiding someone in a murder they committed just two days after meeting them would imply something was seriously wrong with that person, no matter how heinous the crime.

"…What if I decide to take action here, no matter what?" (Salva)

"In that case, we'll stop you, even if we have to use force. And then what?" (Tatsuro)

"Big brother…" (Jema)

Salva felt his sister Jema's worried gaze piercing through him. And that gaze broke Salva's spirit.

"…I understand. I'll give up…" (Salva)

"That's a relief. It might not be much consolation, but you can try to bring these scums to justice. Whether you appeal to the authorities or take matters into your own hands, consequences will await them. It would be a waste for you to dirty your hands for the likes of them. As a token of gratitude to us, how about using your power to help people in need with clean hands?" (Tatsuro)

"Big brother… Ah, I understand. I'm sure that one day, I'll become a greater adventurer than you, and I'll protect my friends and the weak." (Salva)

"That's the spirit! We haven't known each other for long, but I think that suits you more than seeking revenge." (Tatsuro)

With that, the two men shook hands firmly. Of course, Salva was not entirely over it after this exchange, but he swallowed that too and solidified his determination to become a greater presence, to never experience misery again.

"I guess I've calmed down for now." (Jema)

"That's right. We cannot digest everything just yet, but in Lyadas' territory, the fate that awaits thieves who have killed people is death. Considering that, it's the right thing to leave it to the laws of this territory for a public trial." (Salva)

"I'm sure this feeling of helplessness will continue for a while, but if my big brother says he'll carry that burden and become stronger, I'll show him I can be even stronger." (Jema)

"That's the spirit." (Catherine)

With those words, Jema, who had her head stroked by her two older siblings, had a single tear roll down her eye and fall, witnessed by the other two.

Last Free chapter of the year.

As a bonus, I will release 2 chapters today.

Hope you take note of the first chapter

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